Method to maximally utilize the loading capacity of an individual wagon and the train when loading with bulk material

ABSTRACT

A method for maximizing the loading capacity of a wagon or wagon train when loading with pourable material from a silo. The method utilizes a computer which determines the type of wagon to be loaded on the basis of values obtained with sensors.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for maximizing the loadingcapacity of a wagon or wagon train when loading with pourable materialfrom a silo. More particularly, the method utilizes a computer whichdetermines the type of wagon to be loaded on the basis of valuesobtained with sensors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bulk materials are normally loaded onto railway freight cars or wagons,by passing a number of mutually hitched wagons through a loading zoneabove which there is arranged a storage unit or silo in which bulkmaterials, such as ore concentrates or pellets, are stored. The materialis discharged from the silo down into an underlying wagon through themedium of a chute provided with an outlet opening, referred to here as amaterial delivery chute. Loading of the wagons takes place automaticallyand the outlet end of the delivery chute is provided with a flap whosewidth is sufficient to cause the material pouring from the chute to bedistributed uniformly in the wagon.

Australian Publication B 55576/86 teaches one such type of loadingarrangement where the intention is to distribute the weight of thematerial equally at both ends of the wagon while, at the same time,maintaining an essentially constant height, or level of the material inthe wagon, therewith to utilize the capacity of the wagon effectively.To this end, the wagon is weighed and its height is determined and alsoits passage through specific points. On the basis of this information,the material delivery chute is controlled to deliver a specific volumeor weight of material to the wagon and to distribute the materialuniformly in the wagon while levelling the material therein at the sametime.

When seen against the background of the number of wagons that annuallytransport bulk materials of the aforesaid kind, such as ore, oreconcentrates or pellets, it is a natural aim to utilize the loadcapacity of each wagon and each wagon train to a maximum. Wagon wheelsand wagon baskets become worn and in time a wagon may become one or twotonnes lighter in weight. Its loading capacity has not diminished,however. The endeavour to constantly utilize the full load capacity ofindividual wagons or freight cars is readily understandable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method which enables this to beachieved in accordance with the characterizing features set forth in thefollowing claims.

A method of utilizing the loading capacity of a wagon and a wagon trainto a maximum when loading with pourable material, particularly bulkmaterial, from a silo with the aid of a raisable and lowerable deliverychute having an outlet opening, down into a wagon moving beneath thechute. The by-passing wagon to be filled is weighed and its empty weightregistered. The method is characterized by registering the type ofby-passing wagon to be filled and by feeding to a computer registereddata representing the weight of an empty wagon and the type of wagonconcerned. This data, in the form of signals, is fed into the computerand the computer functions to move the outlet opening of the chute to aheight above the bottom of the wagon in accord with the type of wagonconcerned on the basis of said data and the density of the bulk materialthrough the medium of manoeuvering devices wherein the height at whichthe chute outlet opening is located above the bottom determines thevolume of bulk material that corresponds to the maximum permitted totalweight of this individual wagon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing schematically in side view is an arrangement of an apparatusfor carrying out the method of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to anexemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to theaccompanying drawing which illustrates schematically and in side view anarrangement of apparatus for carrying out the inventive method.

The drawing illustrates a silo 1 for storing bulk materials such as oreconcentrates or pellets. The silo is located in a high rock elevationabove a loading zone through which a plurality of railway wagons orfreight cars 2 continuously move during a loading operation. Extendingfrom the silo 1 is a metering means which functions to meter materialinto respective wagons 2 and to uniformly distribute the load therein.The metering means has a conical upper part 3 which is located adjacentto or connects with a closure flap 4 provided at the silo outlet 5. Amaterial delivery chute 6 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 7 beneath theoutlet 5, the upper part 3 of the metering means and the closure flap 4.The lower part of the delivery chute 6 is provided with a closure flap 8whose position relative to the chute opening is controlled by apiston-cylinder maneuvering device 9. Pivotal movement of the deliverychute in relation to said conical part 3, or downfeed funnel 3, is alsoeffected with the aid of a piston-cylinder maneuvering device referenced9' in the drawing. The delivery chute 6 can be swung clockwise from itsillustrated discharging position to a generally horizontal rest positionin which it enables wagons 2 to pass freely therebeneath.

The illustrated arrangement also includes a conventional weighingmachine 10 over which the bogies 12 of respective wagons 2 are intendedto pass, so that there weights and tare weights can be established.

Arranged along the rail track in the loading zone is a sensor 13 whichfunctions to establish the instantaneous positions of a wagon to befilled as the wagon moves through the loading zone beneath the silo 1.Also provided is an angle indicator 14 which detects and registers theheight of an arriving wagon above the rail track. The angle indicator 14has a slip arm which gives an angle indication immediately the end wallof a wagon begins to lift the arm while registering the first or leadingend of the wagon at the same time, in a manner that will be readilyunderstood. The same applies when the arm leaves the passing wagon. Thelength of the wagon is registered by the horizontal sensor 13 and theempty weight or tare weight of the wagon is registered by the weighingmachine 10.

This registered data is fed into a computer which determines the type ofwagon to be loaded on the basis of the values obtained with the aid ofsensors 13 and 14. The height of the bottom 16 of the wagon above therail track is therewith determined by this information or data. Thecomputer is able to determine the height of the outfeed end of thedelivery chute above the bottom 16 of the wagon basket 15 on the basisof these values and with knowledge of the density of the bulk materialand the permitted total weight of the wagon. As the wagon moves beneaththe silo, the wagon is filled continuously with bulk material from thesilo via the delivery chute 6, the adjusted height of which correspondsto the maximum load of the type of wagon concerned. The heightadjustment to the delivery chute 6 is effected with the aid of thepiston-cylinder device 9' and movement of the closure flap 8 iscontrolled with the aid of the piston-cylinder device 9.

The total weight of the now filled carriage 2 is then registered withthe aid of the weighing machine 11, it being established whether or notthe weight of the wagon exceeds its maximum permitted total weight orwhether the weight of the wagon is below this weight. For instance, ifit is found that the wagon that has just been loaded weighs less thanthe maximum permitted total weight, the next wagon in line can be loadedto a correspondingly greater extent than the preceding wagon, whereas ifit is found that the wagon that has just been loaded weighs more thanthe maximum permitted total weight, the next wagon in line can be loadedto a correspondingly lesser extent. This enables the total weight of thewagon train to be adjusted constantly to an optimum. It will beunderstood that any excess weight will be comparatively small and willlie within the safety margins of the wagons.

It will also be understood that the sensors 13 and 14 for instance maybe of another kind which, for instance, will enable the type of wagonconcerned to be identified by given markings on the sides of the wagonwhich can be read-off and therewith disclose the type of wagonconcerned. It will also be understood that the height-measuring angleindicator may alternatively have the form of a vertical ramp ofphotocells.

I claim:
 1. A method of utilizing to a maximum the load-carryingcapacity of a wagon or a train of wagons when filling said wagon withpourable bulk material, from a silo having a raisable and lowerabledelivery chute which includes an outlet opening and which functions todischarge said material into said wagon moving beneath the chute,wherein said moving wagon to be loaded is weighed and its empty weightregistered, which comprises registering the type of said moving wagon tobe filled, and feeding registered data representative of said emptyweight of the wagon and the height of the wagon concerned to a computerwhich on the basis of this data and the density of the bulk materialcauses the outlet opening of the chute to be positioned at a fixedheight above the wagon bottom which is in accord with the type of wagonconcerned, through the medium of manoeuvering devices, said fixed heightdetermining the volume of bulk material that corresponds to the maximumpermitted total weight for this individual wagon and supplying saidpourable material from said chute in accordance with said data to loadsaid wagon.
 2. A method according to claim 1, comprising weighing theloaded wagon and registering its total weight and comparing theregistered weight with the maximum permitted total weight of the wagonconcerned, wherein the difference between the registered total weightand the maximum permitted total weight is fed as data to the computer,wherein on the basis of this data the outlet opening of the deliverychute is guided to a height above the bottom of a following wagon suchthat the wagon will be loaded with correspondingly less bulk materialwhen said difference is positive and correspondingly more bulk materialwhen said difference is negative.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein asensor detects and registers the height of the wagon.
 4. The method ofclaim 3 wherein said sensor is an angle indicator having a slip armwhich provides an angle indication.
 5. A method of utilizing to amaximum the load-carrying capacity of a wagon and a train of wagonscomprising the steps of:supplying a wagon with pourable bulk material,from a silo with the aid of a raisable and lowerable delivery chutewhich includes an outlet opening and which functions to discharge saidmaterial into said wagon moving beneath the chute, wherein said movingwagon is weighed and its empty weight registered, which comprisesregistering the type of said moving wagon to be filled, and feeding theregistered data representative of said empty weight of said wagon andthe height of the wagon concerned to a computer which on the basis ofthis data and the density of the bulk material causes the outlet openingof the chute to be positioned at a fixed height above the wagon bottomwhich is in accord with the type of wagon concerned, through the mediumof maneuvering devices, said fixed height determining the volume of bulkmaterial that corresponds to the maximum permitted total weight for thisindividual wagon, weighing the loaded wagon and registering its totalweight and comparing the registered weight with the maximum permittedtotal weight of the wagon concerned, wherein the difference between theregistered total weight and the maximum permitted total weight is fed asdata to the computer, wherein on the basis of this data the outletopening of the delivery chute is guided to a fixed height above thebottom of a following wagon such that the wagon will be loaded withcorrespondingly less bulk material when said difference is positive andcorrespondingly more bulk material when said difference is negative. 6.A method of loading pourable bulk material to maximize the load carryingcapacity of a moving wagon or train of wagons from a silo having adelivery chute which comprises the steps of:moving said wagon past anangle sensor which detects and registers the height of said wagon abovethe rail track and past a horizontal sensor which establishes theinstantaneous position and length of said wagon; weighing said wagon toestablish an empty weight of said wagon; feeding signals from said anglesensor and said horizontal sensor along with the density of the bulkmaterial to provide input data to a computer; positioning said deliverychute above the bottom of said wagon on the basis of said input data tosaid computer to a fixed height which corresponds to the maximumpermitted total weight for said wagon supplying bulk material to saidwagon by controllably opening and closing said delivery chute tocorrespond to said fixed height; and detecting a difference between theempty wagon and the registered total weight of the loaded wagon.
 7. Themethod of claim 6 wherein the difference between the registered totalweight and the maximum permitted total weight is fed as data to thecomputer, wherein on the basis of this data the outlet opening of thedelivery chute is guided to a height above the bottom of a followingwagon such that the wagon will be loaded with correspondingly less bulkmaterial when said difference is positive and correspondingly more bulkmaterial when said difference is negative.